Aerosol delivery device with dual reservoir

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device that comprises a housing defining an outer wall, and further including a power source and a control component, a mouthpiece portion that defines an aerosol exit path, a first reservoir configured to contain a first liquid composition, a second reservoir configured to contain a second liquid composition, a first atomization assembly configured to vaporize the first liquid composition to generate a first aerosol having a first aerosol particle size, and a second atomization assembly configured to vaporize the second liquid composition to generate a second aerosol having a second aerosol particle size. The first liquid composition may be different than the second liquid composition, and the first particle size may be different than the second particle size.

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, and moreparticularly to an aerosol delivery device that includes one or morereservoirs and one or more atomization assemblies, which may utilizeelectrical power to vaporize one or more liquid compositions for theproduction of an aerosol. In various implementations, the liquidcompositions, which may incorporate materials and/or components that maybe made or derived from tobacco or otherwise incorporate tobacco orother plants, may include natural or synthetic components includingflavorants, and/or may include one or more medicinal components, arevaporized by the atomization assemblies to produce an inhalablesubstance for human consumption.

BACKGROUND

Many smoking devices have been proposed through the years asimprovements upon, or alternatives to, smoking products that requirecombusting tobacco for use. Many of those devices purportedly have beendesigned to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar, orpipe smoking, but without delivering considerable quantities ofincomplete combustion and pyrolysis products that result from theburning of tobacco. To this end, there have been proposed numeroussmoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers that utilizeelectrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material, or attempt toprovide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking withoutburning tobacco to a significant degree. See, for example, the variousalternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heatgenerating sources set forth in the background art described in U.S.Pat. No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No.2013/0255702 to Griffith Jr. et al., and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No.2014/0096781 to Sears et al., which are incorporated herein by referencein their entireties. See also, for example, the various types of smokingarticles, aerosol delivery devices, and electrically powered sourcesreferenced by brand name and commercial source in U.S. Pat. App. Pub.No. 2015/0216232 to Bless et al., which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

However, it would be desirable to provide an aerosol delivery devicewith enhanced functionality. In this regard, it is desirable to providean aerosol delivery with advantageous features.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods offorming such devices, and elements of such devices. The disclosureparticularly relates to an aerosol delivery device. The presentdisclosure includes, without limitation, the following exampleimplementations:

An aerosol delivery device comprising a housing defining an outer wall,and further including a power source and a control component, amouthpiece portion that defines an aerosol exit path, a first reservoirconfigured to contain a first liquid composition, a second reservoirconfigured to contain a second liquid composition, a first atomizationassembly configured to vaporize the first liquid composition to generatea first aerosol having a first aerosol particle size, and a secondatomization assembly configured to vaporize the second liquidcomposition to generate a second aerosol having a second aerosolparticle size, wherein the first liquid composition is different thanthe second liquid composition, and wherein the first particle size isdifferent than the second particle size.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein atleast one of the first and second atomization assemblies comprises avibrating assembly.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein one ofthe first and second vibrating assemblies comprises a mesh plate and avibrating component.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thevibrating component of one of the first and second vibrating assembliescomprises a piezoelectric ring affixed to and substantially surroundingthe mesh plate.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein themesh plate of one of the first and second vibrating assemblies issubstantially flat.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein atleast a portion of the mesh plate of at least one of the first andsecond vibrating assemblies is convex with respect to the respectivereservoir.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thefirst and second reservoirs and the first and second atomizationassemblies are contained in the housing, and wherein the mouthpieceportion is configured to be removable and replaceable from the housing.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thefirst and second reservoirs are located on opposite sides of the aerosolexit path.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thefirst and second atomization assemblies are located on opposites sidesof the aerosol exit path.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thefirst and second atomization assemblies are angled toward each other andthe aerosol exit path.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein asurface of each of the first and second atomization assemblies forms anangle with respect to the aerosol exit path.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein theangle formed by a surface of each of the first and second atomizationassemblies is greater than 45 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thefirst particle size is smaller than approximately 4 microns.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thesecond particle size is larger than approximately 4 microns.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thesecond particle size between approximately 4 microns and approximately15 microns.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thefirst and second atomization assemblies are configured to generate thefirst and second aerosols substantially simultaneously.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thefirst atomization assembly is configured generate the first aerosolafter the second atomization assembly is configured to generate thesecond aerosol.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thefirst and second atomization assemblies are configured to beindependently controllable via the control component.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thefirst liquid composition comprises a water-based liquid that includesnicotine.

The aerosol delivery device of any preceding example implementation, orany combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein thesecond liquid composition includes a pulmonary surfactant.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the disclosure willbe apparent from a reading of the following detailed descriptiontogether with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly describedbelow. The invention includes any combination of two, three, four, ormore of the above-noted embodiments as well as combinations of any two,three, four, or more features or elements set forth in this disclosure,regardless of whether such features or elements are expressly combinedin a specific embodiment description herein. This disclosure is intendedto be read holistically such that any separable features or elements ofthe disclosed invention, in any of its various aspects and embodiments,should be viewed as intended to be combinable unless the context clearlydictates otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

In order to assist the understanding of aspects of the disclosure,reference will now be made to the appended drawings, which are notnecessarily drawn to scale and in which like reference numerals refer tolike elements. The drawings are provided by way of example to assistunderstanding of aspects of the disclosure, and should not be construedas limiting the disclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates a top schematic view of an aerosol delivery device,according to an example implementation of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a portion of an atomizationassembly, according to an example implementation of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3A illustrates a side schematic view of a portion of an atomizationassembly, according to an example implementation of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3B illustrates a side schematic view of a portion of an atomizationassembly, according to an example implementation of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3C illustrates a side schematic view of a portion of an atomizationassembly, according to an example implementation of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3D illustrates a side schematic view of a portion of an atomizationassembly, according to an example implementation of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3E illustrates a side schematic view of a portion of an atomizationassembly, according to an example implementation of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3F illustrates a side schematic view of a portion of an atomizationassembly, according to an example implementation of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device,according to an example implementation of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of a portion of an aerosol deliverydevice, according to an example implementation of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to example embodiments thereof. These example embodiments aredescribed so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, andwill fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in theart. Indeed, the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms andshould not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein;rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure willsatisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification, andin the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, “the”, includeplural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

As described hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure relateto aerosol delivery devices or vaporization devices, said terms beingused herein interchangeably. Aerosol delivery devices according to thepresent disclosure use electrical energy to vaporize a material(preferably without combusting the material to any significant degreeand/or without significant chemical alteration of the material) to forman inhalable substance; and components of such devices have the form ofarticles that most preferably are sufficiently compact to be consideredhand-held devices. That is, use of components of some aerosol deliverydevices does not result in the production of smoke—i.e., fromby-products of combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather, use ofthose systems results in the production of vapors resulting fromvaporization of an aerosol precursor composition. In some embodiments,components of aerosol delivery devices may be characterized aselectronic cigarettes, and those electronic cigarettes most preferablyincorporate tobacco and/or components derived from tobacco, and hencedeliver tobacco derived components in aerosol form. It will beappreciated, however, that devices in accordance with variousembodiments can be used to deliver active ingredients other thannicotine and/or tobacco components. Other examples include deliverydevices for botanical ingredients (e.g., lavender, peppermint,chamomile, basil, rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus, ginger, cannabis,ginseng, maca, and tisanes), stimulants (e.g., caffeine and guarana),amino acids (e.g., taurine, theanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, andtryptophan) and/or pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and medicinalingredients (e.g., vitamins, such as B6, B12, and C and cannabinoids,such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)).

Aerosol delivery devices may provide many of the sensations (e.g.,inhalation and exhalation rituals, types of tastes or flavors,organoleptic effects, physical feel, use rituals, visual cues such asthose provided by visible aerosol, and the like) of smoking a cigarette,cigar, or pipe that is employed by lighting and burning tobacco (andhence inhaling tobacco smoke), without any substantial degree ofcombustion of any component thereof. For example, the user of an aerosoldelivery device of the present disclosure can hold and use the devicemuch like a smoker employs a traditional type of smoking article, drawon one end of that device for inhalation of aerosol produced by thatdevice, take or draw puffs at selected intervals of time, and the like.

Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure may also becharacterized as being vapor-producing articles or medicament deliveryarticles. Thus, such articles or devices may be adapted so as to provideone or more substances (e.g., flavors and/or pharmaceutical activeingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, inhalablesubstances may be substantially in the form of a vapor (i.e., asubstance that is in the gas phase at a temperature lower than itscritical point). Alternatively, inhalable substances may be in the formof an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or liquiddroplets in a gas). For purposes of simplicity, the term “aerosol” asused herein is meant to include vapors, gases, and aerosols of a form ortype suitable for human inhalation, whether or not visible, and whetheror not of a form that might be considered to be smoke-like.

Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure most preferablycomprise some combination of a power source (i.e., an electrical powersource), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating,controlling, regulating and ceasing power for heat generation, such asby controlling electrical current flow the power source to othercomponents of the article—e.g., a microcontroller or microprocessor), anatomization assembly, a liquid composition (e.g., commonly an aerosolprecursor composition liquid capable of yielding an aerosol, such asingredients commonly referred to as “smoke juice,” “e-liquid” and“e-juice”), and a mouthpiece or mouth region for allowing draw upon theaerosol delivery device for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined airflowpath through the article such that aerosol generated may be withdrawntherefrom upon draw).

Alignment of the components within the aerosol delivery device may bevariable. In specific embodiments, the liquid composition may be locatedbetween two opposing ends of the device (e.g., within a reservoir of thedevice, which in certain circumstances may be replaceable and disposableor refillable). Other configurations, however, are not excluded.Generally, the components are configured relative to one another so thatenergy from the atomization assembly vaporizes the liquid composition(as well as one or more flavorants, medicaments, or the like that maylikewise be provided for delivery to a user) and forms an aerosol fordelivery to the user. When the atomization assembly vaporizes theaerosol precursor composition, an aerosol is formed, released, orgenerated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. Itshould be noted that the foregoing terms are meant to be interchangeablesuch that reference to release, releasing, releases, or releasedincludes form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates,and formed or generated. Specifically, an inhalable substance isreleased in the form of a vapor or aerosol or mixture thereof.

More specific formats, configurations and arrangements of componentswithin the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure will beevident in light of the further disclosure provided hereinafter.Additionally, the selection and arrangement of various aerosol deliverydevice components may be appreciated upon consideration of thecommercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, such asthose representative products referenced in the background art sectionof the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates an aerosol delivery device, according to an exampleimplementation of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 1illustrates a schematic view of an aerosol delivery device 100comprising a mouthpiece portion 102 and a housing 104. In the depictedimplementation, the mouthpiece portion 102 may be permanently ordetachably aligned in a functioning relationship with the housing 104.In some implementations, for example, the mouthpiece portion and thehousing may comprise a single part, whereas in other implementations, aconnection therebetween may be releasable such that, for example, thehousing and/or the mouthpiece portion may be reused and/or may bedisposable and/or refillable. In other implementations, the mouthpieceportion may not be linearly aligned with the housing, such asimplementations in which the mouthpiece portion and the housing are in aside-by-side arrangement. In various implementations, a variety ofdifferent means of engagement may be used to couple a mouthpiece portionand a housing together. For example, in some implementations themouthpiece portion and the housing may be coupled via one or more of asnap-fit engagement, a press-fit engagement, an interference engagement,a threaded engagement, a bayonet connection, a magnetic engagement, etc.In some implementations, the housing may include a chamber configured toreceive at least a portion of the mouthpiece portion. In otherimplementations, the mouthpiece portion may include a chamber configuredto receive at least a portion of the housing. In some implementations,an electrical connection may be created between the mouthpiece portionand the housing. In some implementations, such an electrical connectionmay exist via one or more components of the coupling features. In such amanner, corresponding electrical contacts in the mouthpiece portion andthe housing may be substantially aligned after coupling to provide theelectrical connection. It should be noted that the components depictedin this and the other figures are representative of the components thatmay be present in a housing and/or mouthpiece portion and are notintended to limit the scope of the housing and/or mouthpiece portioncomponents that are encompassed by the present disclosure. Some examplesof mechanical and electrical connections between components of aerosoldelivery devices are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/386,940, filed on Apr. 17, 2019, and titled Connectors for FormingElectrical and Mechanical Connections Between Interchangeable Units inan Aerosol Delivery System, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. Other connectors are described inU.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0261495 to Novak et al., the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In various implementations, the aerosol delivery device may have avariety of different shapes. For example, in some implementations theaerosol delivery device may be substantially rod-like or substantiallytubular shaped or substantially cylindrically shaped. In otherimplementations, however, other shapes and dimensions are possible(e.g., rectangular, oval, hexagonal, prismatic, regular or irregularpolygon shapes, disc-shaped, cube-shaped, multifaceted shapes, or thelike). It should be noted for purposes of the present disclosure thatthe term “substantially” should be understood to mean approximatelyand/or within a certain degree of manufacturing tolerance as would beunderstood by one skilled in the art.

In specific implementations, one or both of the housing or themouthpiece portion may be referred to as being disposable or as beingreusable. For example, in some implementations the housing may include apower source. In some implementations, the power source may comprise areplaceable battery or a rechargeable battery and thus may be combinedwith any type of recharging technology, including connection to a wallcharger, connection to a car charger (e.g., cigarette lighterreceptacle, USB port, etc.), connection to a computer, any of which mayinclude a universal serial bus (USB) cable or connector (e.g., USB 2.0,3.0, 3.1, USB Type-C), connection to a USB connector (e.g., USB 2.0,3.0, 3.1, USB Type-C as may be implemented in a wall outlet, electronicdevice, vehicle, etc.), connection to a photovoltaic cell (sometimesreferred to as a solar cell) or solar panel of solar cells, or wirelesscharger, such as a charger that uses inductive wireless charging(including for example, wireless charging according to the Qi wirelesscharging standard from the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC)), or awireless radio frequency (RF) based charger, and connection to an arrayof external cell(s) such as a power bank to charge a device via a USBconnector or a wireless charger. An example of an inductive wirelesscharging system is described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2017/0112196 toSur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.In some implementations, the power source may comprise a photovoltaicsystem. In further implementations, a power source may also comprise acapacitor. Capacitors are capable of discharging more quickly thanbatteries and can be charged between puffs, allowing a battery todischarge into a capacitor at a lower rate than if it were used to powerthe heating member directly. For example, a supercapacitor—e.g., anelectric double-layer capacitor (EDLC)—may be used separate from or incombination with a battery. When used alone, the supercapacitor may berecharged before each use of the article. Thus, the device may alsoinclude a charger component that can be attached to the smoking articlebetween uses to replenish the supercapacitor. Examples of power suppliesthat include supercapacitors are described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No.2017/0112191 to Sur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the housing 104 of the depicted implementationincludes a control component 106 (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB),an integrated circuit, a memory component, a microcontroller, or thelike), and a power source, such as a battery 108. Additional componentsmay also be included, such as, for example, one or more sensors (e.g.,one or more flow sensors), one or more indicators (e.g., one or morelight-emitting diodes (LEDs)), one or more input elements (e.g., one ormore buttons), etc. Some example types of electronic components,structures, and configurations thereof, features thereof, and generalmethods of operation thereof, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217to Gerth et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,372,148 to McCafferty et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhaueret al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al. and U.S. Pat. No.8,205,622 to Pan; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2009/0230117 to Fernando etal., 2014/0060554 to Collet et al., and 2014/0270727 to Ampolini et al.;and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0257445 to Henry et al.; which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Some examples ofbatteries that may be applicable to the present disclosure are describedin U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2010/0028766 to Peckerar et al., thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.In some implementations, further indicators (e.g., a haptic feedbackcomponent, an audio feedback component, or the like) may be included inaddition to or as an alternative to an LED. Additional representativetypes of components that yield visual cues or indicators, such as LEDcomponents, and the configurations and uses thereof, are described inU.S. Pat. No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,499,766 toNewton and U.S. Pat. No. 8,539,959 to Scatterday; U.S. Pat. App. Pub.No. 2015/0020825 to Galloway et al.; and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No.2015/0216233 to Sears et al.; which are incorporated herein by referencein their entireties. It should be understood that in variousimplementations not all of the illustrated elements may be required. Forexample, in some implementations an LED may be absent or may be replacedwith a different indicator, such as a vibrating indicator. Likewise, aflow sensor may be replaced with a manual actuator, such as, forexample, one or more manually actuated push buttons.

In the depicted implementation, the housing 104 also includes a firstliquid reservoir 110A, which is configured to contain a first liquidcomposition 112A, and a second liquid reservoir 110B, which isconfigured to contain a second liquid composition 112B. In someimplementations, the first and second liquid reservoirs may be part ofthe housing (such as, for example, comprising a molded feature of thehousing), while in other implementations, one or both of the first orsecond liquid reservoirs may comprise a separate part. In someimplementations, the first and second reservoirs may comprise one ormore refillable liquid reservoirs. As such, in some implementations, oneor both of the first or second liquid reservoirs may be reusable. Inother implementations, however, one or both of the first or secondliquid reservoirs may be disposable. In some implementations, at leastone of the liquid reservoirs may comprise an independent container(e.g., formed of walls substantially impermeable to the liquidcomposition). In some implementations, the walls of at least one of theliquid reservoirs may be flexible and/or collapsible, while in otherimplementations the walls of at least one of the liquid reservoirs maybe substantially rigid. Some examples of types of substrates,reservoirs, or other components for supporting a liquid composition aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,528,569 to Newton; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos.2014/0261487 to Chapman et al. and 2014/0059780 to Davis et al.; andU.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0216232 to Bless et al.; which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Additionally,various wicking materials, and the configuration and operation of thosewicking materials within certain types of electronic cigarettes, are setforth in U.S. Pat. No. 8,910,640 to Sears et al.; which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

In some implementations, the housing and/or the mouthpiece portion maybe made of a polymeric material that, in further implementations, may beat least partially transparent or translucent. In some implementations,such materials, may include, but need not be limited to, polycarbonate,acrylic, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), amorphous copolyester (PETG),polyvinyl chloride (PVC), liquid silicone rubber (LSR), cyclic olefincopolymers, polyethylene (PE), ionomer resin, polypropylene (PP),fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), styrene methyl methacrylate(SMMA), styrene acrylonitrile resin (SAN), polystyrene, acrylonitrilebutadiene styrene (ABS), and combinations thereof. Other materials mayinclude, for example, biodegradable polymers such as, but not limitedto, polylactcic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA's), andpolybutylene succinate (PBS). In some implementations, the housingand/or the mouthpiece portion may be made of a metal or compositematerial. In some implementations, the housing and/or the mouthpieceportion may be made of other material that may be at least partiallytransparent or translucent. Such materials may include, for example,glass or ceramic materials.

In various implementations, one or both of the first or second liquidcompositions may comprise an aerosol precursor composition. In someimplementations, the aerosol precursor composition may incorporatetobacco or components derived from tobacco. In one regard, the tobaccomay be provided as parts or pieces of tobacco, such as finely ground,milled or powdered tobacco lamina. Tobacco beads, pellets, or othersolid forms may be included, such as described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub.No. 2015/0335070 to Sears et al., the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In another regard, thetobacco may be provided in the form of an extract, such as a spray driedextract that incorporates many of the water soluble components oftobacco. Alternatively, tobacco extracts may have the form of relativelyhigh nicotine content extracts, which extracts also incorporate minoramounts of other extracted components derived from tobacco. In anotherregard, components derived from tobacco may be provided in a relativelypure form, such as certain flavoring agents that are derived fromtobacco. In one regard, a component that is derived from tobacco, andthat may be employed in a highly purified or essentially pure form, isnicotine (e.g., pharmaceutical grade nicotine, USP/EP nicotine, etc.).In other implementations, non-tobacco materials alone may form theaerosol precursor composition. In some implementations, the aerosolprecursor composition may include tobacco-extracted nicotine withtobacco or non-tobacco flavors and/or non-tobacco-extracted nicotinewith tobacco or non-tobacco flavors.

In some implementations, one or both the first or second liquidcompositions, sometimes also referred to as an aerosol precursorcomposition or a vapor precursor composition or “e-liquid”, may comprisea variety of components, which may include, by way of example, water, apolyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixturethereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extract, and/or flavorants. Someexamples of types of aerosol precursor components and formulations arealso set forth and characterized in U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,320 to Robinsonet al. and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2013/0008457 to Zheng et al.;2013/0213417 to Chong et al.; 2014/0060554 to Collett et al.;2015/0020823 to Lipowicz et al.; and 2015/0020830 to Koller, as well asWO 2014/182736 to Bowen et al, the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. Other aerosol precursors thatmay be employed include the aerosol precursors that have beenincorporated in VUSE® products by R. J. Reynolds Vapor Company, theBLIP′ products by Fontem Ventures B.V., the MISTIC MENTHOL product byMistic Ecigs, MARK TEN products by Nu Mark LLC, the JUUL product by JuulLabs, Inc., and VYPE products by CN Creative Ltd. Also desirable are theso-called “smoke juices” for electronic cigarettes that have beenavailable from Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC. Still further exampleaerosol precursor compositions are sold under the brand names BLACKNOTE, COSMIC FOG, THE MILKMAN E-LIQUID, FIVE PAWNS, THE VAPOR CHEF, VAPEWILD, BOOSTED, THE STEAM FACTORY, MECH SAUCE, CASEY JONES MAINLINERESERVE, MITTEN VAPORS, DR. CRIMMY'S V-LIQUID, SMILEY E LIQUID, BEANTOWNVAPOR, CUTTWOOD, CYCLOPS VAPOR, SICBOY, GOOD LIFE VAPOR, TELEOS, PINUPVAPORS, SPACE JAM, MT. BAKER VAPOR, and JIMMY THE JUICE MAN.

In some implementations, the amount of aerosol precursor that isincorporated within the aerosol delivery system is such that the aerosolgenerating device provides acceptable sensory and desirable performancecharacteristics. For example, sufficient amounts of aerosol formingmaterial (e.g., water, glycerin, and/or propylene glycol) may beemployed in order to provide for the generation of a visible mainstreamaerosol that in many regards resembles the appearance of tobacco smoke.The amount of aerosol precursor within the aerosol generating system maybe dependent upon factors such as the number of puffs desired peraerosol generating device. In one or more embodiments, about 1 ml ormore, about 2 ml or more, about 5 ml or more, or about 10 ml or more ofthe aerosol precursor composition may be included.

In some of the examples described above, the aerosol precursorcomposition comprises a glycerol-based liquid. In other implementations,however, the aerosol precursor composition may be a water-based liquid.In some implementations, the water-based liquid may be comprised of morethan approximately 80% water. For example, in some implementations thepercentage of water in the water-based liquid may be in the inclusiverange of approximately 90% to approximately 93%. In someimplementations, the water-based liquid may include up to approximately10% propylene glycol. For example, in some implementations thepercentage of propylene glycol in the water-based liquid may be in theinclusive range of approximately 4% to approximately 5%. In someimplementations, the water-based liquid may include up to approximately10% flavorant. For example, in some implementations the percentage offlavorant(s) of the water-based liquid may be in the inclusive range ofapproximately 3% to approximately 7%. In some implementations, thewater-based liquid may include up to approximately 3% nicotine. Forexample, in some implementations the percentage nicotine in thewater-based liquid may be in the inclusive range of approximately 0.1%to approximately 0.3%. In some implementations, the water-based liquidmay include up to approximately 10% cyclodextrin. For example, in someimplementations the percentage cyclodextrin in the water-based liquidmay be in the inclusive range of approximately 3% to 5%. In still otherimplementations, the aerosol precursor composition may be a combinationof a glycerol-based liquid and a water-based liquid. For example, someimplementations may include up to approximately 50% water and less thanapproximately 20% glycerol. The remaining components may include one ormore of propylene glycol, flavorants, nicotine, cyclodextrin, etc. Someexamples of water-based liquid compositions that may be suitable aredisclosed in GB 1817863.2, filed Nov. 1, 2018, titled AerosolisableFormulation; GB 1817864.0, filed Nov. 1, 2018, titled AerosolisableFormulation; GB 1817867.3, filed Nov. 1, 2018, titled AerosolisableFormulation; GB 1817865.7, filed Nov. 1, 2018, titled AerosolisableFormulation; GB 1817859.0, filed Nov. 1, 2018, titled AerosolisableFormulation; GB 1817866.5, filed Nov. 1, 2018, titled AerosolisableFormulation; GB 1817861.6, filed Nov. 1, 2018, titled Gel andCrystalline Powder; GB 1817862.4, filed Nov. 1, 2018, titledAerosolisable Formulation; GB 1817868.1, filed Nov. 1, 2018, titledAerosolised Formulation; and GB 1817860.8, filed Nov. 1, 2018, titledAerosolised Formulation, each of which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

In some implementations, the aerosol precursor composition mayincorporate nicotine, which may be present in various concentrations.The source of nicotine may vary, and the nicotine incorporated in theaerosol precursor composition may derive from a single source or acombination of two or more sources. For example, in some implementationsthe aerosol precursor composition may include nicotine derived fromtobacco. In other implementations, the aerosol precursor composition mayinclude nicotine derived from other organic plant sources, such as, forexample, non-tobacco plant sources including plants in the Solanaceaefamily. In other implementations, the aerosol precursor composition mayinclude synthetic nicotine. In some implementations, nicotineincorporated in the aerosol precursor composition may be derived fromnon-tobacco plant sources, such as other members of the Solanaceaefamily. The aerosol precursor composition may additionally oralternatively include other active ingredients including, but notlimited to, botanical ingredients (e.g., lavender, peppermint,chamomile, basil, rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus, ginger, cannabis,ginseng, maca, and tisanes), stimulants (e.g., caffeine and guarana),amino acids (e.g., taurine, theanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, andtryptophan) and/or pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and medicinalingredients (e.g., vitamins, such as B6, B12, and C and cannabinoids,such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)).

As noted above, in various implementations, one or both of the first orsecond liquid compositions may include a flavorant. As used herein,reference to a “flavorant” refers to compounds or components that can beaerosolized and delivered to a user and which impart a sensoryexperience in terms of taste and/or aroma. Example flavorants include,but are not limited to, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, cream, tea, coffee,fruit (e.g., apple, cherry, strawberry, peach and citrus flavors,including lime and lemon, mango, and other citrus flavors), maple,menthol, mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, clove,lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, anise, sage, rosemary, hibiscus, rosehip, yerba mate, guayusa, honeybush, rooibos, amaretto, mojito, yerbasanta, ginseng, chamomile, turmeric, bacopa monniera, gingko biloba,withania somnifera, cinnamon, sandalwood, jasmine, cascarilla, cocoa,licorice, and flavorings and flavor packages of the type and charactertraditionally used for the flavoring of cigarette, cigar, and pipetobaccos. Other examples include flavorants derived from, or simulating,burley, oriental tobacco, flue cured tobacco, etc. Syrups, such as highfructose corn syrup, also can be employed. Example plant-derivedcompositions that may be suitable are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.9,107,453 and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2012/0152265 both to Dube et al.,the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. The selection of such further components are variable basedupon factors such as the sensory characteristics that are desired forthe smoking article, and the present disclosure is intended to encompassany such further components that are readily apparent to those skilledin the art of tobacco and tobacco-related or tobacco-derived products.See, e.g., Gutcho, Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods, Noyes DataCorp. (1972) and Leffingwell et al., Tobacco Flavoring for SmokingProducts (1972), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. It should be noted that reference to aflavorant should not be limited to any single flavorant as describedabove, and may, in fact, represent a combination of one or moreflavorants.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the first liquid composition 112A of thedepicted implementation is in fluid communication (either directly orthrough one or more additional components) with at least a portion of afirst atomization assembly 115A. Likewise, the second liquid composition112B of the depicted implementation is in fluid communication (eitherdirectly or through one or more additional components) with at least aportion of a second atomization assembly 115B. Although in otherimplementations the first and second atomization assemblies may have avariety of different configurations, in the depicted implementation thefirst and second atomization assemblies 115A, 115B have an overallsubstantially planar shape or a domed shape, with each atomizationassembly 115A, 115B including a surface that forms a substantially rightangle with respect to an aerosol exit path 120. In variousimplementations, the atomization assemblies may be fluidly coupled withrespective portions of the liquid compositions such that the atomizationassemblies generate an aerosol from the respective liquid compositions.In the depicted implementation, one or more electrical connections 116A,116B connect the atomization assemblies 115A, 115B to the controlcomponent 106 and/or the battery 108. In such a manner, the atomizationassemblies 115A, 115B of the depicted implementation may be energized bythe battery 108 and/or control component 106 (e.g., so as to vibrate acomponent of the atomization assembly at a relatively high rate). Someexamples of electronic/control components that may be applicable to thepresent disclosure are described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2019/0014819to Sur, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

As noted, in some implementations fluid communication between a liquidcomposition and a respective atomization assembly may be direct. Inother implementations, however, fluid communication between a liquidcomposition and a respective atomization assembly may be indirect. Invarious implementations, indirect fluid communication may occur, forexample, by transporting (e.g., via a liquid transport element) and/orby depositing (e.g., via a micropump or spray device) liquid compositionto a portion of the atomization assembly. In some implementations, atleast one of the liquid reservoirs may be substantially sealed toprevent passage of the liquid composition therefrom except via anyspecific openings or conduits provided expressly for passage of theliquid composition, such as through one or more transport elements asotherwise described herein.

In various implementations, a liquid transport element may have onelayer, or multiple layers, and may be made of a single material ormultiple materials. In various implementations, the liquid transportelement may be any shape and may be a porous, semi-porous, or non-porousabsorbent/adsorbent material. In other implementations, there may be asecond liquid transport element located between the first liquidtransport element and the liquid reservoir, the second liquid transportelement being configured to transfer liquid from the liquid reservoir tothe first liquid transport element. In such a manner, the first liquidtransport element may not be in direct contact with the liquid in theliquid reservoir. In various implementations, the second liquidtransport element may be made of the same material or a differentmaterial than the first liquid transport element and may have a shapethat is the same or differs from that of the first liquid transportelement. For example, in some implementations the liquid transportelement may be made of fibrous materials (e.g., organic cotton,cellulose acetate, regenerated cellulose fabrics, glass fibers),polymers, silk, particles, porous ceramics (e.g., alumina, silica,zirconia, SiC, SiN, AlN, etc.), porous metals, porous carbon, graphite,porous glass, sintered glass beads, sintered ceramic beads, capillarytubes, porous polymers, or the like. In some implementations, the liquidtransport element may be any material that contains an open pore network(i.e., a plurality of pores that are interconnected so that fluid mayflow from one pore to another in a plurality of direction through theelement). The pores can be nanopores, micropores, macropores orcombinations thereof. As further discussed herein, some implementationsof the present disclosure may particularly relate to the use ofnon-fibrous transport elements. As such, fibrous transport elements maybe expressly excluded. Alternatively, combinations of fibrous transportelements and non-fibrous transport elements may be utilized. In someembodiments, the liquid transport element may be a substantially solidnon-porous material, such as a polymer or dense ceramic or metals,configured to channel liquid through apertures or slots while notnecessarily relying upon wicking through capillary action. Such a solidbody may be used in combination with a porous absorptive pad. Theabsorptive pad may be formed of silica-based fibers, organic cotton,rayon fibers, cellulose acetate, regenerated cellulose fabrics, highlyporous ceramic or metal mesh, etc. Some representative types ofsubstrates, reservoirs or other components for supporting the aerosolprecursor are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,528,569 to Newton; U.S. Pat.App. Pub. Nos. 2014/0261487 to Chapman et al. and 2014/0059780 to Daviset al.; and U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0216232 to Bless et al.; whichare incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Additionally,various wicking materials, and the configuration and operation of thosewicking materials within certain types of electronic cigarettes, are setforth in U.S. Pat. No. 8,910,640 to Sears et al.; which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. In some implementations, the liquidtransport element may be formed partially or completely from a porousmonolith, such as a porous ceramic, a porous glass, or the like. Examplemonolithic materials that may be suitable for use according toembodiments of the present disclosure are described, for example, inU.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2017/0188626 to Davis et al., and U.S. Pat. App.Pub. No. 2014/0123989 to LaMothe, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. In someimplementations, the porous monolith may form a substantially solidwick.

In some implementations, an end of a liquid transport element may beconfigured to be placed proximate an atomization assembly and a liquidcomposition in a reservoir so that the liquid transport element acts asa secondary reservoir that absorbs or adsorbs the liquid from thereservoir so that the mesh plate is in contact with the liquidcomposition, even if there is no longer liquid in the reservoir. In sucha manner, the liquid transport element is configured to facilitatedelivery of the liquid composition to the atomization assembly.

In some implementations, the liquid composition may be driven through acomponent of the atomization assembly resulting in the generation of aplurality of aerosol particles. Likewise, in other implementations,vibration of a component of the atomization assembly may createultrasonic waves within the liquid composition and/or surface acousticwaves in the liquid composition, that result in the formation of anaerosol at the surface of the liquid composition. In someimplementations the liquid composition may be applied and/or transferredto a component of the atomization assembly to create the aerosol.

In various implementations, the housing and/or the mouthpiece portionmay include one or more air intakes (not shown), which may comprise oneor more openings allowing for passage of ambient air into the housingand/or mouthpiece portion. In some implementations, the air intake maydraw air into and/or around one or more of the atomization assemblies,where it may be mixed with the vaporized liquid composition to comprisethe aerosol that is delivered to the user. It should be noted that insome implementations the air intake need not be adjacent the housing,and, in some implementations, may be located downstream from one or moreof the atomization assemblies. As noted, in some implementations, one ormore air intakes may be formed through the mouthpiece portion (e.g.,such that it does not enter the housing) or some other portion of theaerosol delivery device. It should be noted that some implementationsneed not include a mouthpiece portion and/or the mouthpiece portion maybe integral with the housing.

In various implementations, the mouthpiece portion may also include atleast one electronic component, which may include an integrated circuit,a memory component, a sensor, or the like, although such a componentneed not be included. In some implementations that include such acomponent, the electronic component may be adapted to communicate withthe control component of the housing and/or with an external device bywired or wireless means. In various implementations, an electroniccomponent of the mouthpiece portion may be positioned anywhere withinthe mouthpiece portion.

In some implementations, the aerosol delivery device may include atleast one flow sensor that may comprise a different component than thecontrol component. In other implementations, the control component andthe flow sensor may be combined as an electronic circuit board with theair flow sensor attached directly thereto. Some examples of air flowsensors that may be applicable to the present disclosure are describedin U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/260,901, filed on Jan. 29, 2019,to Sur, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety. In some implementations, the air flow sensor may compriseits own circuit board or other base element to which it can be attached.In some embodiments, a flexible circuit board may be utilized. Aflexible circuit board may be configured into a variety of shapes,include substantially tubular shapes. Configurations of a printedcircuit board and a pressure sensor, for example, are described in U.S.Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0245658 to Worm et al., the disclosure of whichis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Additional types ofsensing or detection mechanisms, structures, and configuration thereof,components thereof, and general methods of operation thereof, aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No.5,372,148 to McCafferty et al.; and PCT WO 2010/003480 to Flick; whichare incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

In some implementations, when a user draws on the device, airflow may bedetected by a sensor, and one or both of the atomization assemblies115A, 115B may be activated to vaporize the respective liquidcompositions. As noted above, in some implementations drawing upon themouthend of the device causes ambient air to enter the device. The drawnair may then combine with the formed vapor to form the aerosol. Theaerosol may then be whisked, aspirated, or otherwise drawn away from theatomization assemblies and out of an opening 118 in the mouthend of thedevice, along the aerosol exit path 120. In other implementations, inthe absence of an airflow sensor, one or both of the atomizationassemblies may be activated manually, such as via one or more pushbuttons (not shown). Additionally, in some implementations, the airintake may occur through the mouthpiece portion, and/or through thehousing, and/or between the mouthpiece portion and the housing. Itshould be noted that in some implementations, there may be one or morecomponents between one or both of the atomization assemblies and theopening in the mouthend of the device. For example, in someimplementations one or more heating components may be located downstreamfrom either or both of the atomization assemblies. In variousimplementations, a heating component may comprise any device having anyshape and/or configuration that is configured to elevate the temperatureof the generated aerosol, including, for example, one or more coilheating components, ceramic heating components, etc.

In some implementations, one or more input elements may be included withthe aerosol delivery device (and may replace or supplement an airflowsensor, pressure sensor, or manual push button). In variousimplementations, an input element may be included to allow a user tocontrol functions of the device and/or for output of information to auser. Any component or combination of components may be utilized as aninput for controlling the function of the device. For example, one ormore pushbuttons may be used as described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No.2015/0245658 to Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by referencein its entirety. Likewise, a touchscreen may be used as described inU.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2016/0262454 to Sears et al., which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As a further example,components adapted for gesture recognition based on specified movementsof the aerosol delivery device may be used as an input. See U.S. App.Pub. No. 2016/0158782 to Henry et al., which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. As still a further example, a capacitivesensor may be implemented on the aerosol delivery device to enable auser to provide input, such as by touching a surface of the device onwhich the capacitive sensor is implemented.

In some embodiments, an input element may comprise a computer orcomputing device, such as a smartphone or tablet. In particular, theaerosol delivery device may be wired to the computer or other device,such as via use of a USB cord or similar protocol. The aerosol deliverydevice also may communicate with a computer or other device acting as aninput via wireless communication. See, for example, the systems andmethods for controlling a device via a read request as described in U.S.Pat. App. Pub. No. 2016/0007561 to Ampolini et al., the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In suchimplementations, an APP or other computer program may be used inconnection with a computer or other computing device to input controlinstructions to the aerosol delivery device, such control instructionsincluding, for example, the ability to form an aerosol of specificcomposition by choosing the nicotine content and/or content of furtherflavors to be included.

Yet other features, controls or components that may be incorporated intoaerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure are described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,289 to Watkinset al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al.; U.S. Pat. No.6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,742 to Hon; U.S.Pat. No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos.2010/0163063 to Fernando et al.; 2013/0192623 to Tucker et al.;2013/0298905 to Leven et al.; 2013/0180553 to Kim et al., 2014/0000638to Sebastian et al., 2014/0261495 to Novak et al., and 2014/0261408 toDePiano et al.; which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

In various implementations, one or both of the atomization assembliesmay comprise a variety of different components or devices configured togenerate an aerosol from the liquid composition. For example, in someimplementations the atomization assembly may comprise a jet nebulizerassembly, which may be configured to utilize compressed air to generatean aerosol. In other implementations, the atomization assembly maycomprise an ultrasonic assembly, which may be configured to utilize theformation of ultrasonic waves within the liquid composition to generatean aerosol. In other implementations, the atomization assembly maycomprise a vibrating mesh assembly, which may comprise a piezoelectricmaterial (e.g., a piezoelectric ceramic material) affixed to andsubstantially surrounding a mesh plate, (e.g., a perforated plate suchas a micro-perforated mesh plate) that is vibrated within the liquidcomposition or proximate the surface of the liquid composition togenerate an aerosol. In still other implementations, the atomizationassembly may comprise a surface acoustic wave (SAW) or Raleigh waveassembly, which may utilize surface wave characteristics to generate anaerosol at the surface of the liquid composition. It should be notedthat for purpose of this application, an ultrasonic assembly may be anyassembly configured to create ultrasonic waves within the liquidcomposition. In some implementations, for example, a vibrating meshassembly may also operate as an ultrasonic assembly.

Referring back to FIG. 1, in the depicted implementation the firstreservoir 110A contains a first liquid composition 112A, and the secondreservoir 110B contains a second liquid composition 112B. Although invarious implementations the first and second liquid compositions maycomprise any of the liquid compositions or any combination of the liquidcompositions described above, in the depicted implementation the firstand second reservoirs 110A, 110B contain respective first and secondliquid compositions 112A, 112B that are different from each other. Inaddition, although in some implementations the atomization assembliesmay generate aerosols having substantially the same particle size, inthe depicted implementation the first and second atomization assemblies115A, 115B are configured to generate respective aerosols havingparticle sizes that are different from each other. In particular, in thedepicted implementation the first liquid composition 112A comprises anunflavored water-based liquid composition that includes water andnicotine and may further include lower concentrations of othercomponents, including, for example, propylene glycol, vegetableglycerin, ethyl alcohol, etc. The first atomization assembly 115A of thedepicted implementation comprises a first vibrating assembly that isconfigured to generate aerosol particles smaller than approximately 4microns. In the depicted implementation, the second liquid composition112B comprises a liquid composition that includes a pulmonary surfactantincluding, but not limited to, various phospholipids,dipalmitoylphosphatidylchlorine (DPPC), surfactant proteins (SP-A, SP-B,SP-C, SP-D, etc.), neutral lipids (cholesterol) and may further includelower concentrations of other components, including, for example, water,ethyl alcohol, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, etc. In someimplementations, surfactant-soluble flavor packages may be added to thisliquid. In some implementations, the viscosity and other properties ofthe liquid composition may be controlled and adjusted by adding othercompatible solvents. The second atomization assembly 115B of thedepicted implementation comprises a second vibrating assembly that isconfigured to generate aerosol particles larger than 4 microns. Forexample, in some implementations, the second vibrating assembly may beconfigured to generate aerosol particles between approximately 4 micronsand approximately 10 microns. In some implementations, the secondvibrating assembly may be configured to generate aerosol particlesbetween approximately 4 microns and approximately 15 microns.

An example of an atomization assembly, which in some implementations mayrepresent one or both of the atomization assemblies of theimplementation depicted in FIG. 1, is shown in FIG. 2. In particular,FIG. 2 illustrates an atomization assembly 215 that comprises avibrating component 217 and a mesh plate 219. In other implementations,additional components may be included. For example, in someimplementations a supporting component may be included that is locatedon the side of the mesh plate opposite the vibrating component (e.g.,such that the mesh plate is sandwiched between the supporting componentand the vibrating component). Although other configurations arepossible, in some implementations, the supporting component may comprisea supporting ring. In various implementations, the supporting componentmay be made of any suitable material, including, but not limited to,polymeric, metal, and/or ceramic materials. In such a manner, in someimplementations the supporting component may increase the longevity ofthe mesh plate. In some implementations, the supporting component may bereplaceable, while in other implementations the supporting component maybe affixed to the mesh plate and/or the vibrating component. In someimplementations, an auxiliary component may be used that is locatedbetween mesh plate and the vibrating component. Although otherconfigurations are possible, in some implementations, the auxiliarycomponent may comprise an auxiliary ring. In various implementations,the auxiliary component may be made of any suitable material, including,but not limited to, polymeric, metal, and/or ceramic materials. In sucha manner, the auxiliary component may facilitate the interfacial contactof the components. In some implementations, the auxiliary component maybe replaceable, while in other implementations the auxiliary componentmay be affixed to the mesh plate and/or the vibrating component.

In some implementations, the vibrating component and the mesh plate maybe permanently affixed to each other such as, for example, by affixingthe components together via an adhesive, such as, for example, an epoxyor other glue, or by ultrasonic welding, mechanical fasteners, etc.,while in other implementations, the vibrating component and the meshplate may not permanently affixed to each other. Rather, they may beseparable and held or forced into contact with each other. In variousimplementations, the mesh plate may have a variety of differentconfigurations. For example, in some implementations the mesh plate mayhave a substantially flat profile. In other implementations, the meshplate may have a substantially domed shape, which may be concave orconvex with respect to the reservoir and/or the liquid composition. Inother implementations, the mesh plate may include a substantially flatportion and a domed portion. In various implementations, the mesh platemay be made of a variety of different materials. In someimplementations, the mesh plate may be made of a metal material, suchas, but not limited to, stainless steel, palladium-nickel, or titanium.In other implementations, the mesh plate may be made of a polymericmaterial, such as, for example, a polyimide polymer. In still otherimplementations, the mesh plate may be made of a combination ofmaterials.

In various implementations, the structure of one or both of the first orsecond atomization assemblies may vary. For example, FIGS. 3A-3Fillustrate example implementations of various atomization assemblies. Insome implementations, one or both of the first or second atomizationassemblies of the implementation depicted in FIG. 1 may have one ofthese configurations. It should be noted that in some implementations,both of the first and second atomization assemblies may have the sameconfiguration, while in other implementations the first and secondatomization assemblies may have different configurations. In particular,FIG. 3A illustrates an atomization assembly comprising a piezoelectricring 217A affixed to and substantially surrounding a mesh plate 219A.FIG. 3B illustrates an atomization assembly comprising a mesh plate 219Bsandwiched between two portions of piezoelectric ring 217B. FIG. 3Cillustrates an atomization assembly comprising a piezoelectric ring 217Caffixed to and substantially surrounding a mesh plate 219C, wherein atleast a portion of the mesh plate 219C is curved. FIG. 3D illustrates anatomization assembly comprising a mesh plate 219D sandwiched between twoportions of a piezoelectric ring 217D, wherein at least a portion of themesh plate 219D is curved. FIG. 3E illustrates an atomization assemblycomprising a piezoelectric ring 217E affixed to and substantiallysurrounding one side of a mesh plate 219E, wherein the other side of themesh plate 219E includes a metal ring 221E substantially surrounding andaffixed thereto. FIG. 3F illustrates an atomization assembly comprisinga mesh plate 219F one side of which includes a metal ring 221Fsubstantially surrounding and affixed thereto, the mesh plate 219F andmetal ring 221F sandwiched between two portions of a piezoelectric ring217F. It should be noted that in other implementations one or both ofthe atomization assemblies of the present invention need not be limitedto these configurations.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the mesh plate 219 of the depictedimplementation includes a plurality of perforations. In someimplementations, the perforations may be defined by circular openings inthe surfaces of the plate. In other implementations, the perforationsmay be defined by non-circular openings in the surfaces of the plate,such as, for example, oval, rectangular, triangular, or regular orirregular polygon openings. In various implementations, the perforationsmay be created using a variety of different methods, including, but notlimited to, via a laser (e.g., a femtosecond laser) or viaelectroplating (e.g., lithography or focused ion beams) or via use ofhigh or low energy focused ion or electron beams. In variousimplementations, the shapes defined through the plate by theperforations may vary. For example, in some implementations the shapesdefined through the plate by the perforations may be substantiallycylindrical. In other implementations, the shapes defined through theplate by the perforations may be substantially conical (e.g., having atruncated conical shape defining smaller openings on one surface of theplate and larger openings on the opposite surface of the plate). Inother implementations, the shapes defined through the plate by theperforations may be tetragonal or pyramidal. It is believed that in someimplementations, substantially conical perforations may increase theperformance of the mesh in atomizing the liquid composition. Althoughany orientation of the mesh plate may be used, in some implementationswith perforations defining substantially conical shapes through theplate, the larger openings may be located proximate the surface of theliquid composition and the smaller openings may define an aerosol outletarea. In some implementations with perforations having a substantiallyconical shapes, the smaller openings may have a size in the inclusiverange of approximately 1 micron up to approximately 10 microns, with anaverage size of approximately 2 microns to approximately 5 microns. Inother implementations, the smaller openings may have a size in theinclusive range of approximately several hundred nanometers up toapproximately 4 microns, with an average size of approximately 2 micronsto approximately 3.1 microns. In other implementations, the smaller endmay have a size in the inclusive range of approximately several hundrednanometers to approximately 2 microns, with an average size ofapproximately 1 micron. In some implementations, the larger openings mayhave a size in the inclusive range of approximately 10 microns toapproximately 60 microns, with an average size of approximately 20microns to approximately 30 microns. In other implementations, thelarger openings may have a size in the inclusive range of approximately5 microns to approximately 20 microns, with an average size ofapproximately 10 microns. In some implementations, the size of theperforations may be substantially uniform throughout the perforatedportion of the plate; however, in other implementations, the size of theperforations may vary. In such a manner, the formed aerosol may havedifferent size aerosol droplets. For example, in some implementationsthe perforations may be larger in one portion of the plate and smallerin another portion of the plate. Such portions may include, for example,the center of the plate and a periphery of the plate, or alternatingrings that extend radially from the center of the plate.

In various implementations, the mesh plate may have any number ofperforations. In some implementations, for example, a number ofperforations in the mesh plate may be in the inclusive range ofapproximately 200 to approximately 6,000, with an average number ofperforations of approximately 1,100 to approximately 2,500. In otherimplementations, a number of perforations in the mesh plate may be inthe inclusive range of approximately 400 to approximately 1,000. Invarious implementations, the thickness of the vibrating component andthe thickness of the mesh plate may vary. For example, in someimplementations the thickness of the mesh plate may be in the range of afew microns to a few millimeters. In various implementations, theoverall diameter of a mesh plate may vary. For example, in someimplementations the overall diameter of the mesh plate may be in theinclusive range of approximately a few millimeters to approximately 30millimeters. In some implementations, the outer diameter of thevibrating component may be larger than the overall diameter of the meshplate. In other implementations, the outer diameter of the vibratingcomponent may be substantially the same size as the overall diameter ofthe mesh plate. In still other implementations, the outer diameter ofthe vibrating component may be smaller than the overall diameter of themesh plate. In various implementations, the diameter of the perforationarea may be smaller than the overall diameter of the mesh plate. Forexample, in some implementations the diameter of the perforated area maybe in the inclusive range of approximately 1 millimeter to approximately20 millimeters, with an average of approximately 4 millimeters toapproximately 12 millimeters. In some implementations, the innerdiameter of the vibrating component may be larger than the diameter ofthe perforated area of the mesh plate. In other implementations, theinner diameter of the vibrating component may be substantially the sameas, or smaller than, the diameter of the perforated area of the meshplate. In some implementations, the thickness of the vibrating componentmay be in the inclusive range of a few hundred microns to tens ofmillimeters. For example, in some implementations the thickness of thevibrating component may be smaller than 1 millimeter.

In various implementations, the vibrating component may comprise apiezoelectric component. For example, in various implementations thevibrating component may comprise a piezoelectric ring, which, in someimplementations may be made of a piezoceramic material. It should benoted that while the depicted implementation describes a piezoelectriccomponent in the form of a piezoelectric ring, in other implementationsthe piezoelectric component need not be limited to a ring-shaped object.For example, in some implementations the piezoelectric component mayhave rectangular, oval, hexagonal, triangular, and regular or irregularpolygon shapes. In general, piezoceramic materials possess piezoelectricproperties (e.g., ferroelectric properties), wherein they are configuredto change shape to a small extent (e.g., 1-2 microns in our application)when exposed to an electrical stimulus. This occurs due to a shift inthe crystal structure of the piezoceramic materials (e.g., fromorthorhombic to cubic, or hexagonal to cubic, etc.). With respect to apiezoceramic ring, such a change in shape results in an internal strainand therefore shrinkage of the disc that results in bending of the diskdue to its rigid structure. Because the ring is affixed to the meshplate, the bending of the ring is transferred to the mesh material. Whenthe electric current is disconnected from the piezoelectric ring, thering and mesh plate return to their original shape and position. Assuch, a continuous change of the shape and position will result in anoscillating motion that can be used as a vibration source. In variousimplementations, the frequency of the piezoelectric ring may be in therange of a few Hz to several MHz. For example, in some implementationsthe frequency of the piezoelectric ring in in the inclusive range ofapproximately 50 KHz to approximately 150 KHz, with an average, in oneimplementation of approximately 110 KHz, in another implementation ofapproximately 113 KHz, in another implementation of approximately 117KHz, in another implementation, of approximately 130 KHz, in anotherimplementation, of approximately 150 KHz, in another implementation, ofapproximately 170 KHz, and in another implementation, of approximately250 KHz. In other implementations, the frequency of the piezoelectricring is in the inclusive range of approximately 1 MHz to approximately 5MHz, with an average of approximately 3 MHz to approximately 3.5 MHz.

In various implementations, a variety of different piezoelectricmaterials are possible, including natural or synthetic materials. Somenon-limiting examples of natural piezoelectric materials include, forexample, quartz, berlinite (ALPO₄), sucrose, rochelle salt, topaz,tourmaline-group minerals, lead titanate (PbTiO₃), and collagen. Somenon-limiting examples of synthetic materials include, for example, a(La₃Ga₅SiO₁₄), gallium phosphate, gallium orthophosphate (GaPO₄),lithium niobate (LiNbO₃), lithium tantalate (LiTaO₃), AlN, ZnO, bariumtitanate (BaTiO₃), lead zirconate titanate (Pb[Zr_(x)Ti_(1-x)]O₃)(a.k.a. PZT), potassium niobate (KNbO₃), sodium tungstate (Na₂WO₃),Ba₂NaNb₅O₅, Pb₂KNb₅O₁₅, zinc oxide (ZnO), sodium potassium niobate((K,Na)NbO₃) (a.k.a. NKN), bismuth ferrite (BiFeO₃), sodium niobateNaNbO₃, barium titanate (BaTiO₃), bismuth titanate Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂, sodiumtitanate, and sodium bismuth titanate NaBi(TiO₃)₂. In otherimplementations, polymers exhibiting piezoelectric characteristics maybe used, including, but not limited to, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).

In various implementations, a mesh plate of an atomization assembly maybe in contact with at least a portion of a liquid composition, and/ormay be proximate at least a portion of a liquid composition, and/or mayreceive (such as via a delivery mechanism) at least a portion of aliquid composition. In such a manner, the resulting vibration of theplate generates an aerosol from the contacted liquid composition. Inparticular, in some implementations, the liquid composition is driventhrough the plurality of micro perforations resulting in the generationof a plurality of aerosol particles. Likewise, in other implementations,such as, for example, implementations in which the mesh plate isimmersed in the liquid composition, vibration of the plate createsultrasonic waves within the liquid composition that result in theformation of an aerosol at the surface of the liquid composition. Aswill be described in more detail below, in other implementations theliquid composition may be applied and/or transferred to the atomizationassembly to create the aerosol. In various implementations, the meshplate may be made of a variety of materials, including for example, oneor more metal materials, such as titanium, stainless steel, palladium,nickel, etc., or a polymer material, such as polyimides materials, etc.

Referring back to FIG. 1, in the depicted implementation one or both ofthe first or second atomization assemblies 115A, 115B may be controlledvia the control component 106 and/or the power source 108. In such amanner, control of one or both of the first or second atomizationassemblies 115A, 155B may be automatic or on-demand. In someimplementations, automatic activation of the first and/or secondatomization assemblies may be triggered, for example, by a draw on thedevice by a user. In some implementations, on-demand activation of thefirst and/or second atomization assemblies may be activated using aninput element, such as, for example, a pressure activated device (e.g.,one or more push-buttons). In some implementations, the aerosol deliverydevice may be configured so that the first and second atomizationassemblies operate independently of each other. As such, in someinstances of an example implementation, only aerosol comprising thefirst liquid composition may be delivered to the user, while in otherinstances of the example implementation, only aerosol comprising thesecond liquid composition may be delivered to the user, while in stillother instances of the example implementation, both aerosol comprisingthe first liquid composition and aerosol comprising the second liquidcomposition may be delivered to the user. In still otherimplementations, a user may be able to adjust the amount of aerosolcomprising the first and/or second liquid compositions that is deliveredto the user.

In the depicted implementation, the timing of aerosol formation from thefirst and second atomization assemblies 115A, 155B may differ. Forexample, in some implementations the first atomization assembly maybegin to generate aerosol some period of time after the secondatomization assembly begins to generate aerosol. In someimplementations, for instance, the first atomization assembly may beginto generate aerosol a fraction of a second (e.g., a half a second) afterthe second atomization assembly begins to generate aerosol (or viceversa). In other implementations, the difference in time may be more orless than a fraction of second. In still other implementations, thedifference between initiation of aerosol generation between the firstand second atomization assemblies may not be time-based, but, rather,may be based on a different event, such as, for example, a number ofpuffs. In some implementations, the second atomization assembly maybegin to generate aerosol a few puffs (e.g., 1-5 puffs) before the firstatomization assembly begins to generate aerosol (or vice versa). Itshould be noted that in some implementations, one of the atomizationassemblies may generate aerosol several times before the otheratomization assembly begins to generate aerosol. For example, in someimplementations one of the atomization assemblies may generate aerosolfor the first few puffs (e.g., 1-3 puffs), after which both atomizationassemblies may generate aerosol one after the other, or at the sametime.

In some implementations, the first atomization assembly may beconfigured to generate a first aerosol from a first liquid compositionafter the second atomization assembly generates a second aerosol from asecond liquid composition, wherein the second liquid composition isdifferent than the first liquid composition and the first aerosol hassmaller particle sizes than the second aerosol. In some of suchimplementations, this may facilitate delivery of the first aerosol tothe lungs of a user. For example, if the second liquid composition 112Bof the depicted implementation includes phospholipid-based moleculeshaving two ends, one of which is hydrophilic, and the other of which ishydrophobic, due to the hydrophilicity on one end and the larger size ofthe particles, most of the particles will tend to deposit in the mouthand throat area of a user with their hydrophobic end directed toward theuser's air pathway. This early delivery of the phospholipid particlesmay have certain benefits. For example, in the depicted implementation,the second liquid composition 112B comprises phospholipid-basedmolecules including a flavorant aerosolized into larger particles thatare delivered to the user before a first liquid composition 112Acomprising a water-based liquid containing an active ingredient, such asnicotine, aerosolized into smaller particles. In such a manner, theparticles from the second liquid composition 112B may deposit in thethroat and mouth area of the user, and the hydrophobic ends of thephospholipid molecule may repel the subsequently generated water-basedaerosol particles comprising nicotine from the first liquid composition112A. This may result in increased delivery of particles from the firstliquid composition to the lungs of the user.

FIG. 4 illustrates an aerosol delivery device, according to anotherexample implementation of the present disclosure, and FIG. 5 illustratesa top view of a portion of the aerosol delivery device of FIG. 4. Inparticular, FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an aerosol delivery device 300comprising a mouthpiece portion 302 and a housing 304. To aid in thedescription of the device, certain portions of the housing 304 have beenremoved. In FIG. 4, the mouthpiece portion 302 and the housing 304 areshown transparent. In FIG. 5, the mouthpiece portion 302 has beenremoved. In various implementations, the mouthpiece portion 302 may bepermanently or detachably aligned in a functioning relationship with thehousing 304. In some implementations, for example, the mouthpieceportion and the housing may comprise a single part, whereas in otherimplementations, a connection therebetween may be releasable such that,for example, the housing and/or the mouthpiece portion) may be reusedand/or may be disposable and/or refillable. Reference is made to theabove discussion regarding the mouthpiece portion and the housing, aswell as configurations and variations thereof. In variousimplementations, the aerosol delivery device 300 may have a variety ofdifferent shapes. Reference is also made to the above discussionregarding possible shapes of the aerosol delivery device.

In specific implementations, one or both of the housing 304 or themouthpiece portion 302 may be referred to as being disposable or asbeing reusable. In some implementations, the aerosol delivery device mayinclude a reusable power source. For example, in the depictedimplementation the housing 304 includes a control component 306 and abattery 308. In other implementations, other power sources may be used.Reference is made to the above discussion regarding possible powersources, as well as configurations and variations thereof. In thedepicted implementation, the control component 306 may comprise aprinted circuit board (PCB), an integrated circuit, a memory component,a microcontroller, or the like. Additional components may also beincluded. Reference is made to the above discussion regarding thecontrol component and other possible components, including sensors,indicators, input elements, etc., as well as configurations andvariations thereof.

In the depicted implementation, the housing 304 includes a first liquidreservoir 310A configured to contain a first liquid composition 312A,and a second liquid reservoir 310B configured to contain a second liquidcomposition 312B. In some implementations, the first and second liquidreservoirs may be part of the housing (such as, for example, comprisinga molded feature of the housing), while in other implementations, one orboth of the first or second liquid reservoirs may comprise a separatepart. In some implementations, an aerosol delivery device of the presentdisclosure may comprise one or more refillable liquid reservoirs. Assuch, in some implementations, one or both of the first or second liquidreservoirs may be reusable. Reference is made to the above discussionregarding the housing and/or the first and second liquid reservoirs, aswell as configurations and variations thereof. In the depictedimplementation, one or both of the first or second liquid compositions312A, 312B comprises an aerosol precursor composition. Reference is madeto the above discussion regarding possible liquid compositions, aerosolprecursor compositions, and relative amounts, as well as configurationsand variations thereof.

In the depicted implementation, the first liquid reservoir 310A is influid communication (either directly or through one or more additionalcomponents) with at least a portion of a first atomization assembly315A. Likewise, the second liquid reservoir 310B of the depictedimplementation is in fluid communication (either directly or through oneor more additional components) with at least a portion of a secondatomization assembly 315B. In some implementations, at least one of theliquid reservoirs 310A, 310B may comprise an independent container(e.g., formed of walls substantially impermeable to the liquidcomposition). In some implementations, the walls of at least one of theliquid reservoirs may be flexible and/or collapsible, while in otherimplementations the walls of at least one of the liquid reservoirs maybe substantially rigid. In some implementations, at least one of theliquid reservoirs may be substantially sealed to prevent passage of theliquid composition therefrom except via any specific openings orconduits provided expressly for passage of the liquid composition, suchas through one or more transport elements as otherwise described herein.

In the depicted implementation, one or more electrical connectionsconnect the atomization assemblies 315A, 315B to the control component306 and/or the battery 308. In such a manner, the atomization assemblies315A, 315B of the depicted implementation may be energized by thebattery 308 and/or control component 306 (e.g., so as to vibrate acomponent of the atomization assembly at a relatively high rate). Someexamples of electronic/control components that may be applicable to thepresent disclosure are described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2019/0014819to Sur, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In various implementations, the atomization assemblies may be fluidlycoupled with respective portions of liquid compositions such that theatomization assemblies generate an aerosol from the respective liquidcompositions. In various implementations, the atomization assemblies maybe directly fluidly coupled with a portion of the respective liquidcompositions, or indirectly fluidly coupled with a portion of therespective liquid compositions, such as via one or more liquid transportelements. Reference is made to the above discussion regarding possibleliquid transport elements, as well as configurations and variationsthereof.

In some implementations, the liquid composition may be driven through acomponent of the atomization assembly resulting in the generation of aplurality of aerosol particles. Likewise, in other implementations,vibration of a component of the atomization assembly may createultrasonic waves within the liquid composition and/or surface acousticwaves in the liquid composition, that result in the formation of anaerosol at the surface of the liquid composition. In someimplementations the liquid composition may be applied and/or transferredto a component of the atomization assembly to create the aerosol.

In various implementations, the housing and/or the mouthpiece portionmay include one or more air intakes (not shown), which may comprise oneor more openings allowing for passage of ambient air into the housingand/or mouthpiece portion. In some implementations, the air intake maydraw air into and/or around one or more of the atomization assemblies,where it may be mixed with the vaporized liquid composition to comprisethe aerosol that is delivered to the user. It should be noted that insome implementations the air intake need not be adjacent the housing,and, in some implementations, may be located downstream from one or moreof the atomization assemblies. As noted, in some implementations, one ormore air intakes may be formed through the mouthpiece portion (e.g.,such that it does not enter the housing) or some other portion of theaerosol delivery device. It should be noted that some implementationsneed not include a mouthpiece portion and/or the mouthpiece portion maybe integral with the housing.

In some implementations, when a user draws on the device, airflow may bedetected by a sensor, and one or both of the atomization assemblies315A, 315B may be activated, which may vaporize the respective liquidcompositions. As noted above, in some implementations drawing upon themouthend of the device causes ambient air to enter the device. The drawnair may then combine with the formed vapor to form the aerosol. Theaerosol may then be whisked, aspirated, or otherwise drawn away from theatomization assemblies and out of an opening 318 in the mouthend of thedevice, along an aerosol exit path 320. In other implementations, in theabsence of an airflow sensor, one or both of the atomization assembliesmay be activated manually, such as via one or more push buttons (notshown). Additionally, in some implementations, the air intake may occurthrough the mouthpiece portion, and/or through the housing, and/orbetween the mouthpiece portion and the housing. It should be noted thatin some implementations, there may be one or more components between oneor both of the atomization assemblies and the opening in the mouthend ofthe device. For example, in some implementations one or more heatingcomponents may be located downstream from either or both of theatomization assemblies. In various implementations, a heating componentmay comprise any device configured to elevate the temperature of thegenerated aerosol, including, for example, one or more coil heatingcomponents, ceramic heating components, etc.

In various implementations, one or both of the atomization assembliesmay comprise a variety of different components or devices configured togenerate an aerosol from the liquid composition. For example, in someimplementations the atomization assembly may comprise a jet nebulizerassembly, which may be configured to utilize compressed air to generatean aerosol. In other implementations, the atomization assembly maycomprise an ultrasonic assembly, which may be configured to utilize theformation of ultrasonic waves within the liquid composition to generatean aerosol. In other implementations, the atomization assembly maycomprise a vibrating mesh assembly, which may comprise a piezoelectricmaterial (e.g., a piezoelectric ceramic material) affixed to andsubstantially surrounding a mesh plate, (e.g., a perforated plate suchas a micro-perforated mesh plate) that is vibrated within the liquidcomposition or proximate the surface of the liquid composition togenerate an aerosol. In still other implementations, the atomizationassembly may comprise a surface acoustic wave (SAW) or Raleigh waveassembly, which may utilize surface wave characteristics to generate anaerosol at the surface of the liquid composition. It should be notedthat for purpose of this application, an ultrasonic assembly may be anyassembly configured to create ultrasonic waves within the liquidcomposition. In some implementations, for example, a vibrating meshassembly may also operate as an ultrasonic assembly. Reference is madeto the above discussion regarding possible atomization assemblies, aswell as configurations and variations thereof.

Although in other implementations the first and second atomizationassemblies may be substantially co-linear and/or substantially parallelto each other, in the depicted implementation the first and secondatomization assemblies 315A, 315B are angled with respect to each other.In particular, the first atomization assembly 315A and the secondatomization assembly 315B of the depicted implementation are angledtoward each other and the aerosol exit path 320. Although in otherimplementations the first and second atomization assemblies may have avariety of different configurations, in the depicted implementation thefirst and second atomization assemblies 315A, 315B have an overallsubstantially planar shape, with each atomization assembly 315A, 315Bincluding a surface that forms an angle with respect to the aerosol exitpath 320 such that the aerosol formed thereby is directed to the aerosolexit path 320. In various implementations, the angle formed by the firstor second automation assembly with respect to the aerosol exit path mayvary (e.g., between 0 degrees and 180 degrees), and in someimplementations the first and second atomization assemblies may formdifferent angles with respect to the aerosol exit path. In the depictedimplementation, the first atomization assembly 315A forms an angle α_(A)with respect to the aerosol path 320, and the second atomizationassembly 315B forms an angle α_(B) with respect to the aerosol exit path320. Although other configurations are possible, in the depictedimplementation, the angles α_(A) and α_(B) are substantially the same,and are greater than 45 degrees and less than 180 degrees, and inparticular, less than 90 degrees.

In the depicted implementation, the first reservoir 310A contains afirst liquid composition 312A, and the second reservoir 310B contains asecond liquid composition 312B, wherein the first liquid composition312A is different than the second liquid composition 312B. In addition,the first atomization assembly 315A is configured generate a firstaerosol having a first particle size, and the second atomizationassembly 315B is configured to generate a second aerosol having a secondparticle size, wherein the first particle size is different than thesecond particle size. Reference is made to the above discussionregarding the first and second liquid compositions, the first and secondatomization assemblies, the respective aerosol particle sizes, and thetiming thereof, as well as configurations and variations thereof.

Many modifications and other implementations of the disclosure will cometo mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertainshaving the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoingdescriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to beunderstood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed herein and that modifications and otherembodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appendedclaims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in ageneric and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An aerosol delivery device comprising: ahousing defining an outer wall, and further including a power source anda control component; a mouthpiece portion located proximate to or on thehousing that defines an aerosol exit path; a first reservoir located inthe housing configured to contain a first liquid composition; a secondreservoir located in the housing configured to contain a second liquidcomposition; a first atomization assembly located in the housingconfigured to vaporize the first liquid composition to generate a firstaerosol having a first aerosol particle size; and a second atomizationassembly located in the housing configured to vaporize the second liquidcomposition to generate a second aerosol having a second aerosolparticle size, wherein the first liquid composition is different thanthe second liquid composition, and wherein the first particle size isdifferent than the second particle size, wherein one of the first andsecond atomization assemblies comprises a vibrating assembly, whereinone of the first and second vibrating assemblies comprises a mesh plateand a vibrating component, and wherein the vibrating component of one ofthe first and second vibrating assemblies comprises a piezoelectric ringaffixed to and substantially surrounding the mesh plate.
 2. The aerosoldelivery device of claim 1, wherein the mesh plate of one of the firstand second vibrating assemblies is substantially flat.
 3. The aerosoldelivery device of claim 1, wherein the first and second reservoirs andthe first and second atomization assemblies are contained in thehousing, and wherein the mouthpiece portion is configured to beremovable and replaceable from the housing.
 4. The aerosol deliverydevice of claim 1, wherein the first and second reservoirs are locatedon opposite sides of the aerosol exit path.
 5. The aerosol deliverydevice of claim 1, wherein the first and second atomization assembliesare located on opposites sides of the aerosol exit path.
 6. The aerosoldelivery device of claim 5, wherein the first and second atomizationassemblies are angled toward each other and the aerosol exit path. 7.The aerosol delivery device of claim 6, wherein a surface of each of thefirst and second atomization assemblies forms an angle with respect tothe aerosol exit path.
 8. The aerosol delivery device of claim 7,wherein the angle formed by a surface of each of the first and secondatomization assemblies is greater than 45 degrees and less than 180degrees.
 9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the firstparticle size is smaller than approximately 4 microns.
 10. The aerosoldelivery device of claim 1, wherein the second particle size is largerthan approximately 4 microns.
 11. The aerosol delivery device of claim1, wherein the second particle size between approximately 4 microns andapproximately 15 microns.
 12. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1,wherein the first and second atomization assemblies are configured togenerate the first and second aerosols substantially simultaneously. 13.The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first atomizationassembly is configured generate the first aerosol after the secondatomization assembly is configured to generate the second aerosol. 14.The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first and secondatomization assemblies are configured to be automatically controlled viathe control component.
 15. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1,wherein the first liquid composition comprises a water-based liquid thatincludes nicotine.
 16. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, whereinthe second liquid composition includes a pulmonary surfactant.
 17. Anaerosol delivery device comprising: a housing defining an outer wall,and further including a power source and a control component; amouthpiece portion located proximate to or on the housing that definesan aerosol exit path; a first reservoir located in the housingconfigured to contain a first liquid composition; a second reservoirlocated in the housing configured to contain a second liquidcomposition; a first atomization assembly located in the housingconfigured to vaporize the first liquid composition to generate a firstaerosol having a first aerosol particle size; and a second atomizationassembly located in the housing configured to vaporize the second liquidcomposition to generate a second aerosol having a second aerosolparticle size, wherein the first liquid composition is different thanthe second liquid composition, and wherein the first particle size isdifferent than the second particle size, wherein one of the first andsecond atomization assemblies comprises a vibrating assembly, whereinone of the first and second vibrating assemblies comprises a mesh plateand a vibrating component, and wherein at least a portion of the meshplate of at least one of the first and second vibrating assemblies isconvex with respect to the respective reservoir.